Overcrowding risk as Derby and Burton hospitals set to be more than 160 beds short this winter

Derby and Burton’s hospital trust could be 160 beds short of the required capacity by January 2024, according to a report from the University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust. The shortage risks overcrowding in emergency departments, insufficient resources for orthopaedic patients, and hospital handover delays. The report cautions that this could compromise patient safety, disrupt orthopaedic treatments, and strain resources in the community due to ambulance handover delays.